"Hot" Texas Chocolate Cake

Momma swears this is my mawmaw's recipe and she used to make all the time, I am told - although I have never had it before. However this was the first time that I have made it and my hubby described it simply as the most "AWESOME" cake he has ever eaten... it's completely from scratch no semi-homemade here - but it was a cinch to make and upon tasting it - so worth it. Also, upon discovering how delicious this cake truly is - I am now left feeling a bit deprived that I missed out on it prior to now - don't worry I plan to make up for the last time - I am planning a love affair with this "HOT" TX chocolate cake. Nothing "hot" about it in the temperature sense of the word - it literally just means - "Damn that cake is hot"

Start now be preheating your oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 cups of all purpose flour

2 cups of sugar

1/4 tsp of salt

1/2 cup of milk

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 pound butter (YES - that's 2 sticks of butter) - just do it alright already and stop griping about the butter

4 heaping tablespoons of cocoa powder (now I found that I REALLY like the Nestle brand over brand Hershey)

Directions for cake portion: Mix flour, sugar and salt together - blend with fork (no need for mixer here) and set these three dry ingredients off to the side

  

In another bowl, mix the milk, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda together, again - mix with a fork and set aside.

In the meantime - put on 1 cup of water (YES WATER) and bring it to a quick boil... while waiting for the water to boil move on to the next step.

Go to a saucepan on the stove top and melt the two sticks of butter (I like to melt on medium heat - don't want to burn the butter or the cocoa) - as the butter is beginning to melt - put in your 4 heaping tablespoons of cocoa and whisk well together. When the butter is completely melted pour the boiling cup of water in the mixture. Allow the mixture to bubble for a moment and then turn off the heat once it's mixed well together.

Pour the chocolate mixture in with the flour, sugar, and salt dry mix you previously set aside - stir well and let it sit to cool a bit. Because your next step will be to pour in the egg, milk, liquid mix you also set aside - if the mix is too hot - it will "cook" the eggs and make em' lumpy. Doesn't take long to cool though.

 

When you are all done with the mixing together - pour in jelly roll pan or a cake long cake pan - you don't want this to be too thick. Put in the oven and let it cook for 20 minutes _ I used a long cake dish so I ended up cooking mine for 30 minutes - if you are doing a thin layer in a jelly roll pan - you will need to do only 20 minutes.

Icing Ingredients:

1 3/4 stick of butter (get over it already)

4 heaping tblspns of cocoa

6 tblsps of milk

1 pound of powdered sugar

1 tsp of vanilla

1 cup of finely chopped pecans (optional - although I wouldn't dare leave these off)

1 full bar of finely chopped chocolate - (you could use a Hershey plain milk chocolate bar, a Mr. Goodbar, a Kit Kat, or the Crispy bars or heck your favorite candy bar) I chose to use 6 small individual squares of Ghirardelli Luxe Milk Crisp {which can be found at the ghiarardelli chocolate store in the Shops of Grand River in Leeds}

8 fl. oz. of Heavy Whipping Cream



Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat (use the same one as before - just wash it out first - I find this makes me feel more responsible and productive). Add the cocoa powder, add the milk and vanilla as well, and the powdered sugar, stir until the powdered sugar is dissolved, now fold in your finely chopped pecans and chocolate pieces.  

Pour the entire content of  liquid heavy cream into a bowl and use your mixer in the whipping cream. Whip it until it begins to form peaks. Since learning this trick I haven't been able to go back to pre-packaged whip cream. It's so much lighter and fluffier.

Once your Heavy Cream becomes stiff "whipped cream" fold it into your cooled chocolate icing mixture.

By this time your cake should be ready and cooled from the oven. I let my cake cool a good bit before pouring the icing over the top. I also take a fork and make a TON of holes in the baked cake - so that when I do pour over my icing - it seeps into the cake instead of just sitting all lady like on top of the cake. Trust me you will want this icing in every nook and crevice of this cake. Once your cake has cooled - pour the icing over the top of the cake (it will NOT be a firm icing like it came out of some prepackaged container at the grocery store. Pour the icing over the top of the cake - do NOT spread it.  

This cake is NOT FOR SISSIES! It is only for the MOST SERIOUS of cake and chocolate lovers. If you think you can handle it - go ahead - it will "Make Your Day" - maybe even your year! Yes it's that good! I keep a cover on the pyrex dish I use to keep this in and keep it in the fridge bc of the heavy whipping cream . 

Zucchini Fries

All of the recipes that I have posted here thus far have been family tradition recipes... now fried "zucchini" is most definitely a family staple but this dish has a twist inspired by an Italian eatery that my husband and I enjoy.

Casting call for this show 

• 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon french fry salt (it's the cheesy kind - found at Publix)
• 1/2 teaspoon California garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon gun powder seasoning (or black pepper if u can't find gun powder seasoning)
• 1/2 cup beer (any kind - we don't discriminate)
• 1 large egg
• 1 pound fresh zucchini or yellow summer squash (about 3 medium)
• Peanut oil for frying
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Table salt for "salt bathing" (you will see - just trust me)

Mix your dry ingredients in one bowl and your two wet ingredients in a separate bowl - you know how this part goes... max sure that you mix the dry ingredients well and whisk the egg and beer until it's somewhat "frothy"

Start your oil - peanut oil is what I prefer, for three reasons... 1. it's a healthier alternative 2. it doesn't burn while you are frying (less smoke) and 3. it just plain ole' taste better - put your oil on the stove top and allow it to heat up while you move on to prepping...

In the meantime - while your mixtures are "marinating" - prep your zucchini. Now what's different from your grandma's way is this part. Peel each zucchini, quarter it, take the seeds outs, and then cut each quarter into halves, and then cut each quarter into thirds or fourths - depending on the size - your goal here is to make each zucchini the size of a "french fry" - like pictured above.

Now you will need to lay each spear out so that it can get a "salt bath". 

 

A salt bath is just what it sounds like. Lay the spears out - as pictured to your left... sprinkle each spear with table salt. Now this does and doesn't have to do with the taste. It doesn't bc the main purpose with the salt bath is bc zucchini holds a lot of water. The salt absorbs the water - causing the veggie NOT to absorb the oil from the frying they are about to receive - inevitable helping the taste of the zucchini in the long run!

As your oil is readying - begin to drag each spear through your wet mixture and then roll it thoroughly in your dry mixture. I like to have it setup across the cabinet as an assembly line of sorts - bc as you all know - I am OCD and like to keep down on the mess - plus this technique just overall works better.

Now that your oil is hot and your zucchini is prepped and ready - let the zucchini dive in become dee-lish!

Fry baby fry!!

Take out each spear as it browns - layout on a long pan (covered with a few paper towels) to allow the spears to drain a bit - then sprinkle with parm cheese - be as generous or stingy as you like. I like to be generous - of course...

Dear zucchini fries, I love you!

Yes it's always fun to do the presentation portion - especially when serving guests. However this is such an easy presentation I like to do it for just me and the hubby as well. It helps on serving the yummy veggies - and keeps them warm. So I am going to share my simple trick... for making even fried veggies look deelish and fun - especially if you have a non-veggie lover involved like say a "little four year old picky eater"...

Take two clear goblets or whiskey glasses... line each glass with a decorative napkin (or paper towel if you aren't impressing anyone but yourself). Fill each glass with as many spears as it will hold (I turn the glass on it's side to "lay them in" delicately and have them stand up. Then I take two clear shots glasses and fill each one with our favorite dipping sauces - spaghetti sauce and ranch. Then I place them all on a clear try! That way each person has their own special little container to hold. We also fried squash and kept them cut into regular circles - as you will see in the pictures.



Did I make mention.....that I love these! They are so fantastic - that we literally made a meal of these. We had no sides or meats - just zucchini and squash!

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread (muffins)

This is one of my most favorite and most under-utilized recipes! It's a family favorite... I am listing it on here for that reason and for my dear co-worker and friend... She requested that I upload my best poppy seed bread recipe and I knew this was it. I took the muffins I made to work and they were DEVOURED - that was AFTER my hubby and yes my 4 year old PICKY eater devoured some!

Our Lovely Party Guests (I say party guests - bc this will be a party in your mouth)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

2 1/2 cups white sugar

1 1/8 cups vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract

This is the second part of the recipe - DO NOT mix in with the "baking" portion - this is to be done with the "yummy portion"

1/2 cup orange juice

1 1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 teaspoon orange extract

Do NOT be intimidated by the ingredients here - it's so easy peasy and trust me - your peeps along with your mouth - will say Thank you!

Go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Now the good thing about this recipe is that it's versatile - it can be done in loaf pans, muffin pans, or bundt pans. Which ever you choose be sure to coat with Pam Non-Stick cooking spray... MOVING ON!!!!

BAKING PORTION

In a large (I do mean large) mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, poppy seeds and 2 1/2 cups white sugar. Stir together your dry ingredients well. This is what you should be seeing at this point...

Now mix in the eggs, milk, oil, vanilla and lemon extract; mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans.

Now as you probably expected - MIX dry ingredients and wet ingredients together WELL !

Now pour them bad boys up!!

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaves comes out clean. Cool loaves in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Watch these babies rise - oh my tummy is growling just posting this...and seeing these photos all over again....

While your goodies are baking... we will now start the "Yummy Portion" of this recipe

1/2 cup orange juice

1 1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 teaspoon orange extract

Mix them all together

Cook on your stove top.... Now I suggest doing this portion of the recipe when you have only about 5-10 minutes left on your baked goods!

You are probably thinking right about now - "No, No, No she isn't - she couldn't possibly" and to your naysayers I respond - YES I AM.... This "concoction" you are about to create with a bit of heat is going to be poured over your baked goodies!! Which will make them even better baked goodies..

Awe - "heaven's nectar"

The trick is when your goodies are hot out of the oven - I like to poke each one with a fork two or three times bc those holes allow for "heaven's nectar" to permeate every fiber of these fluffy morsels....

I am coming to the conclusion that my grandmother MUST HAVE created this recipe from a vision in her prayer time with Jesus!

Please keep in mind that you do are not REQUIRED to use all of "heaven's nectar" on your bread - however I can't imagine what sort of insanity would DRIVE you to consider NOT using it all - or thus licking the pot once you have coated each goodie!

Here is a an example of what you will have with a loaf pan.